Beane: Rants don’t matter if you can’t assemble a majority

Bob Beane is an economics graduate of the College of Wooster and
an MBA accounting graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He
is also a bicycling advocate and has been a resident of Ahwatukee
since 1992.

You would think that a former state senator would understand that you have to cobble together a majority if you want to change things. Tom Patterson (Feb. 25 guest commentary, “GOP ineptitude is exhausting its base”) apparently didn’t get the memo.

Yes, as a moderate Republican, I am exhausted. I am not alone. The terribly misjudged political antics of the far right/Tea Party are not likely to position the Republican Party to meaningfully contribute, let alone “rule,” any time soon. My dream of a fiscally responsible, supportive, world-leading and “all for one, opportunity for all” country are being frustrated not only by the Obama-led Democratic “business-bashing, tax raising, ignoring unemployment” agenda, but also by the “no positive message, disenfranchising, politically suicidal” far right Republicans.

And, former state senator, what makes you think you own the party and not people like me who have a more inclusive, positive, tolerant, work-across-the-aisle and move the country forward orientation? I do not cede my vote to you or your viewpoint and agenda.

Maybe you can explain why roughly 1/3 of Arizona voters are now independent … fed up with both parties. What part of “we need those votes” don’t you guys understand?

Here’s a clear and simple message: The party that puts forth a more positive, inclusive, fair, long-term-responsible vision for our country is the party that, I believe, will be running things from three to 20 years from now. The polls say that a good number of us are waking up to the fact that divisive politics is only burying our dreams and the prospects for our children and grandchildren. The party that stakes out the middle (high) ground for the benefit of the vast majority of our citizens will be the party that gets elected in future years.

Political ineptitude is failing to set a visionary course that a majority of constituents can embrace. If you don’t get elected, if you don’t assemble a majority, you can rant all you want but it doesn’t matter in the end. You are not in a position to set the agenda.

Maybe the Republican party will achieve a majority, or close, in the U.S. Senate … due to ACA failings and not anything the Republican party has yet offered as a positive agenda. But it won’t last if there isn’t a follow-on agenda that embraces the vast majority of the public and inspires future voters.

In Arizona, SB 1062, in a clear stroke of political idiocy, would have aligned even more people against whatever positive policy items the state party might have for the future. Yep, the GOP is displaying ineptitude at its finest. But, it’s not the way you describe it.

By the way, I applaud Senator John McCain for his views and for standing up as always. It was a sad day in Arizona when the Republican party disrespected him because he works at appropriate times to try to find common ground and get things done.

• Bob Beane is an economics graduate of the College of Wooster and an MBA accounting graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is also a bicycling advocate and has been a resident of Ahwatukee since 1992.